The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will consider repealing a policy prohibiting advertising in state parks.

Through the 2009-11 and 2011-13 State Parks operating budgets, the Legislature directed the agency to work toward self-sufficiency. The agency’s Transformation Plan identifies digital media and printed collateral as agency assets with significant potential to raise advertising revenue to support operations.

At its next regular meeting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 23, the commission will consider repealing the existing policy and approving a new Washington State Parks Advertising Policy to allow commercial advertising on digital and printed material and to set criteria for any such advertising.

The proposed policy does not include commercial advertising in state parks but only advertising on agency websites and select printed materials.

Written public comment received by Jan. 7 will be provided to Commission for consideration. To provide comments, the public may attend the commission meeting in person or e-mail comments to website@parks.wa.gov.

The draft advertising policy can be found online at http://www.parks.wa.gov/plans/StateParksAdvertisingPolicy.doc .

The meeting takes place at The Governor Hotel, located at 621 Capitol Way S., Olympia, Wash.

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